All Sides Lawyer Up for 63rd NY Senate Seat

Wednesday, April 04, 2012 - 07:28 PM

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has retained his former top aide's new law firm for the court fight over the proposed addition of a state Senate seat. The Senate and Assembly majorities have also retained private lawyers.

The Senate's Republicans proposed a 63rd seat as part of its redistricting plan signed by their ally, Cuomo.

Senate Democrats argue that the additional seat would be unconstitutional and designed only to protect the Republicans' slim majority.

Cuomo has brought in the Zuckerman Spaeder law firm, which is based in Washington and is seeking to expand in New York. That's the firm his longtime chief of staff, Steven Cohen, joined.

The firm will work without pay.

Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a former senator, agreed with Cuomo to retain a private counsel.

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